Biography

Dr. Halima Leak Francis holds nearly 20 years of experience including work in the non-profit sector, higher education, and philanthropy. An accomplished educator, practitioner, and scholar, her expertise is primarily in the areas of organizational capacity building, strategic planning and sustainability. She has a proven track record of successful relationship building, leadership and program development – all of which have been critical in her work in promoting the strengthening of communities through meaningful collaboration, public service, and philanthropic investment. In her role of Professor of Practice and Public Administration Program Director, she is responsible for the development, implementation, and management of degree and certificate programs in fields related to Public Administration for the School of Professional Advancement at Tulane University.

Dr. Leak Francis joins Tulane from Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation, a multi-sector, ethnically and culturally diverse civic organization specializing in providing culturally specialized social services, educational, and youth leadership development programming. Along with her work at Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation, she has developed innovative programming and engaged public and private supporters on behalf of institutions such as CUNY School of Professional Studies, New York University, Barnard College - Columbia University, and Communities in Schools of Wake County (North Carolina).

Throughout her career, Dr. Leak Francis has taught and trained diverse populations of students including adult learners, military veterans, non-profit leaders, graduate and undergraduate students in fields such as Nursing, Social Work, Technology, and the Liberal Arts. Her teaching experiences have primarily focused on meeting the educational and professional development needs of adult learners, professionals, and students with limited educational access through online, blended, and in-person learning environments.

Her passion is for community betterment through fields connected to the public sector, nonprofit management, and strategic philanthropy. She is a founding co-chair of the HERitage Giving Fund, an African American giving circle at Texas Women’s Foundation, whose mission is to encourage philanthropy in the African-American community. Additionally, she is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and is an active community volunteer for a host of causes.

Dr. Leak Francis holds a B.A. in English from Hampton University, as well as an M.A in Sociology of Education and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from New York University – Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development. She was born and raised in Winston-Salem, N.C. and has lived and worked in cities throughout Virginia, New York, and Texas. She now enjoys her new home in the New Orleans area with husband Eddie, who is a talent acquisition professional, award-winning mass media veteran, speaker, and New Orleans native. Her favorite times are spent with her husband, her amazing teenage bonus son, other family members, friends, and pet cat - Tina.